


High Tide

by wonderings_and_writings



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ADSOM - Freeform, F/M, Pirate AU, Pirate! Loki, also please give feedback thanks a lot, enjoy, not canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2019-09-21 05:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17037722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderings_and_writings/pseuds/wonderings_and_writings
Summary: Reader is a girl looking for adventure, and it may have just appeared in the form of Loki, a pirate captain.** slow updates sorry **





	1. - Low Tide

I hadn’t always wanted to be a pirate. Actually, that was a lie. I had always wanted to be a pirate, I just didn’t tell anyone about it because, you know, pirates get hanged and stuff. When I was younger, I always managed to sneak off down to the docks and watch the ships coming in and out of port, dropping crates off or picking them up. How I wished to sail off with one of the ships. 

But as I got older, my father insisted that I learn to become a ‘proper lady’, and so I often found myself at posh tea parties with men attempting to court me. One of whom was successful, and my parents had arranged for me to marry him in a few months time. It was then that I started coming down to the docks again. Now that my lessons had paid off, my parents didn’t mind me going out. They assumed I was seeing and getting to know my betrothed. 

One night, my said betrothed had come round requesting my presence. I was curled up in front of the fire, nose-deep in a good book. My father showed him to where I was, coughed surreptitiously, and then left, closing the door behind him. 

“Oh darling, you should not spend your time reading.” He sat down next to me on the love seat. I sighed heavily, and, not looking up from the book, I asked why he thought so. “Women are becoming more suggestible these days, all because of this reading fad. Wouldn’t you rather spend your time doing something more productive?”

“And what, my love,” my voice laced with bitterness and venom, “do you suggest I do?” He laughed then. 

“Do not quiz me on what you women do with your time. Knit? Improve your cooking! Plenty of things to be getting on with.” My mouth fell open, looking in his eyes and hoping that he was joking. His dumbfounded expression proved otherwise. 

“Please get up,” I muttered quietly, putting my bookmark on the page and closing the book. 

“What?”

“Get. Up.” He made no move, looking at me like I had a tree growing out of my head. “Now!” He stood up abruptly, and I joined him, taking a shaky breath. “I want to make one thing clear. When I am your wife-” a lump formed in my throat as I said the word, the realisation settling in. “When I am your wife, you do not tell me what to do. You hear me? We do not live in the dark ages!” He chuckled at this and cupped my cheek. 

“Oh poor thing, you don’t understand,” he smiled down at me, a sad look crossing his eyes, the same look people use when talking to small children or picking up a stray puppy. Anger boiled in my stomach and ran up my throat, burning my insides. I slapped his hand away. 

“Fuck off.” 

“Pardon?” The look of shock on his face would have been comical in another situation. 

“I said, fuck off.” He shook his head. “Fine, I will then.” I grabbed my shawl from the back of the love seat and stormed into the hall, picking up my shoes as I walked out the door and into the night. It was a cooler night, the summer drawing to a close. But I welcomed the cool as my burning cheeks started to tingle. There was only one place I could go. After managing to calm down enough to put my shoes on, I ran the rest of the way to the docks. Tears started to fall as I rounded the corner and was met with the vast ocean. I ran down to the very end, hanging my legs over the side and wrapped my shawl around myself as I started to cool down. How dare he? Who did he think he was? I huffed and kicked the stone wall I was sat on. The tide was low, and the lapping of the water against the side seemed distant, lulling me into a trance as my heart continued to beat harshly against my chest. 

Light footsteps behind brought me out of the trance. It took me a while to fully process what it was, and my suspicions were further aroused when I could not find the source. 

“If you’ve come to apologise, I will tell you to fuck off again,” I called into the darkness, hastily wiping away my tears. A figure walked out into the street, chuckling softly. I huffed and faced the ocean once again. “It isn’t funny.”

“My apologies Miss, I didn’t realise I caught you at a sensitive moment,” I turned around again, this time the figure was closer, but still out of the reach of a nearby lantern. I stood up, stumbling a little bit. The figure chuckled again. 

“Show yourself,” my voice less brave than before, holding my shawl closer. The figure held up his hands, almost in mock defeat, as they stepped forward. The orange glow of the lantern still threw shadows across his face, but it also accentuated his cheek bones. His long dark hair framed his face, and there was an undeniable smirk plastered on his face. “Who are you?”

“I’m more interested in who you are, Miss, and why you are out so late on a night like this.” He walked slowly towards me, and the closer he got the more I was able to see. He had a white shirt on, with rolled up sleeves and half the buttons were undone, exposing his bare chest. The green waistcoat he wore hung loosely at his sides. He also wore simple black trousers, and the shoes were definitely a few years old. 

“Are you not cold?” I asked quietly, trying not to stare at him. 

“Are you?” He took another step closer to me, his warm breath meeting my face and sending chills down my spine. The fact I readjusted my shawl to cover more of my arms answered his question. “Who did you think I was?” 

“Why do you want to know?” He shrugged, that same smirk coming back. “My betrothed. He told me a woman should not read. So, I came down here.” His silence seemed to prompt me to carry on, with his sincere look only amplifying the feeling. “I always used to want to be a pirate, it sounds so silly now but - oh, how I wouldn’t give to sail the high seas,” I glanced over my shoulder at the dark ocean. The touch of a hand on my arm drew me back to the man in front of me. 

“What if I told you you could have that?” His voice was low, and I couldn’t help but scoff. “You laugh, but my ship is right over there, and my men are currently ransacking a warehouse. If you want, you can join.” I looked up at him then, finally looking into his eyes. They were the colour of the Mediterranean on a sunny day. 

“Are you being serious?” 

“Deadly.” His grip tightened as he drew me closer, my breath hitched in my throat as he took my other arm. 

“Aren’t women bad luck on ships?” I whispered, trying to find some sort of doubt in his voice. 

“Not on my ship.”

“Oh, so you’ve had them before?” He let out a small laugh but shook his head. 

“Only if they were held for ransom, which you aren’t being held by.” I thought it over a little bit. 

“What will my parents say?”

“Who cares?” A smile broke across my lips, a true smile, the biggest I have had in a while. I nodded my head, slowly at first before it sped up, becoming similar to a mad woman’s. “I’m Loki, your captain.” He bowed dramatically. 

“(Y/N),” I bowed as well, grinning the entire time. Loki took my hand and led me around the corner from where he first appeared. He walked slightly ahead of me, as he whisked me away to a new life.


	2. - Soft waves

When we got to the other side of the docks, shuffling could be heard around us and leading up to the nearest ship tied up at the dock. I would have looked closer at the ship, but I was lost in my own thoughts trying to process the whole situation. Loki led me up the gangway, muttering a few things to the crew as we passed them, all of whom eyed me up with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Once on the ship, the bubbling of nervousness and excitement brewing in my stomach only increased, and I felt my hands start to get clammy. I suddenly felt self-conscious of my hand in Loki’s and tried to release it before he noticed. Feeling the action, Loki glanced back with concern written across his face. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, stopping on the decks in front of a set of double doors. 

“Yes, yes of course just,” I wiped my hands on the outsides of my skirt, “ a bit nervous is all!” I smiled, which Loki returned. A faint whistle sounded from above, and there was a short rush of footsteps back on the ship before the gangway was drawn in. 

“Let’s head inside, shall we?” I turned back to Loki as he opened the doors in front of him. It was dark inside. “Just hold on a second… I need to find the matches to light this lantern…” Loki fumbled on what I could only assume was a shelf before a small flame was ignited, and then soon enough a lantern was lit. I still couldn’t see beyond Loki, but I could just make out a table of some sort, and another doorway leading into another room. “Close the doors behind you.” I nodded to myself as I turned around and closed said doors as the cabin got slowly lighter. A shiver ran down my spine, a sigh escaped my lips, and I closed my eyes. It had only been a few hours prior that I was in my living room reading a good book. 

I rested my head on the door frame as I continued to try and control my breathing. Loki’s footsteps sounded behind me, and his arm wrapped around my waist. 

“Are you sure you are okay? There is still time for you to get off.” I lifted my head and turned around to face him, his hand moving to my hip, resting there gently. 

“I’m sure. It just might take a while is all,” he smiled down at me, his grip tightened on my hip briefly before he let go. 

“I’ll introduce you to the crew tomorrow. They’re all lovely, so please don’t worry.” He started to fiddle with some papers on the table in the middle of the room. I slowly walked around, looking up at the maps tacked to the walls, and the scrolls and books piled up on shelves. The only sounds from inside the cabin were my shoes clicking on the hardwood floors, and Loki still shuffling through papers. A part of me suspected he was stalling, or trying to think of what else to say to me. Mumbles ran throughout the ship, and I wondered how long it would take to get out of the docks. It wasn’t a particularly windy night. 

“Where am I to sleep?” The shuffling stopped. An awkward cough. “What?” I looked around to find Loki already looking at me, hands in pockets. 

“I wasn’t prepared for this, and I don’t suppose you’d want to sleep with the rest of the crew, so…” I raised my eyebrows, a small smirk playing at my lips as I knew what he was going to suggest. “My bunk is big enough? It is a bit tight but -”

“I’d love to,” I smiled, then realised how eager I sounded. “Um, well, you know what I mean.” He chuckled lowly and gathered up his papers, straightening them out on the table. There was a twinkle in his eyes, one that I hadn’t noticed before. But sure enough, that same smirk that I saw at the dock was on his face. “Oh, what should I do clothing wise?” 

“We’re on course to stop off at a port soon. But for tonight…” he glanced at me quickly before looking away. I laughed then, this whole situation becoming more and more unbelievable by the second. No man had seen me in my undergarments, not even my father or betrothed, and I was going to sleep in the same bed as a man I had known for not even three hours. “What?” He laughed as well, unsure of what else to do. 

“It is just all so… ridiculous! I love it!” I skipped round the cabin to where Loki stood and perched myself on the side of the table. “This feels as if it’s something out of a book.” 

“I can assure you it’s real life,” he smiled then, the most genuine smile I had seen from him since we met. It only lasted a second, though. “It’s getting late, and we’ll have a busy day tomorrow.” He walked over to the other set of doors and opened them, revealing a sparse but homely bedroom. There was a bunk at one end - it was definitely going to be a cosy night - and a writing desk and chair on the opposite side. There were windows lining the wall, looking out the back of the ship. “Captain’s usually have their bunks in a room without any windows, but I like the Romanticism of waking up and being able to see the vast expanse of sea.” 

I hung my shawl on the back of one of the chairs and took my shoes off as well. For some reason I thought it would be rude of me to enter his bedroom with shoes on, a ridiculous notion, but it seemed a lot more intimate than the room I was currently in. Loki remained in the doorway, watching my movement as I slowly made my way into his private quarters. 

“I’ll leave you to it,” he muttered once I was inside, closing the doors swiftly behind me. I immediately went over to the windows. We were already a fair distance away from my small town, the lights twinkling against the sky. 

“Goodbye,” I whispered. I eventually had to tear my eyes away, as I didn’t want to keep Loki up more than I already had. I slipped off my top layer, and the skirt underneath, and was left with only my corset left to undo. My thin vest and bottoms seemed inappropriate in such a situation, but the day had been so hot… I reached round, trying to get ahold of the knot at the top, but then I remembered I had asked my mother to do it lower down than usual, and less tight, as it was a hot day and I wasn’t planning on seeing anyone. I tried once more, but I still couldn’t get a sufficient hold of it. Great. 

“Loki?” My voice was small again, like a child’s.

“Yes? Is everything okay?” The voice from the other side of the door seemed flustered and uneven, which I took as a reassurance that it wasn't just me feeling awkward in this impossible situation.

“Can you,” I took a deep breath and tried to speak as quickly as possible, “can you come and help me with my corset please.” A low chuckle. Him and his damn chuckling, it was going to be the death of me one day. The doors opened, and Loki stepped in, waistcoat removed and shirt completely undone. 

“Turn around then.” It took a second for me to register what he said, warmth rising to my cheeks as his hands traveled up my back. “I thought these new corsets were designed to be easily taken off.”

“By another person, that is.” The thought took me to a different place, heat rising within my chest yet again. Loki’s presence seemed to take on a whole new feeling. 

“All done,” he whispered. I thanked him and tossed the corset onto the pile of clothes I had created, keeping my eyes to the floor as I very ungracefully climbed into the bunk. I wrapped the sheets around myself, before looking across to where Loki was still standing.

“Busy day tomorrow, you should probably get into bed,” I winked at him and enjoyed the sight of him looking flustered, though he made no move to climb into the bunk next to me. “Loki.”

“Right, yes, of course. I’ll be back in just a moment,” he hesitated again before walking back through to the other room. After a few minutes, the lanterns were blown out one by one, and his footsteps traveled over to where I lay. My back was towards him, the sheets covering the majority of my body. He climbed in beside me, shuffling around awkwardly as he got himself comfortable. I couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping my lips. 

Once he had settled down, I turned round to look at him. He was closer than I expected, and the air left my lungs momentarily, my lips moved with no words managing to come out. He looked at me expectantly, smirking yet again.

“Thank you, for this.” 

“My pleasure.” Loki’s voice was sleepy now, adding a slightly huskier tone to it. “Get some rest, you’ll need it.” I simply nodded. 

“Goodnight, Loki.”

“Goodnight, (Y/N).” 

The ship rocked slowly from side to side, and I felt like a baby again, being rocked to sleep by my mother. But as well as the calm spreading over my body, the butterflies in my stomach kept fluttering about whenever I thought about the adventure I was currently in, and the man sleeping next to me. Or perhaps they were one and the same.


	3. - Rough Seas

I awoke the next morning to the sound of men singing shanties and the rocking feeling of the ocean. Loki was no longer next to me, but he had laid my clothes out neatly as opposed to the pile I made last night. My eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the cabin, and the view of the vast sea before me made my heart swell. This ocean was mine for the taking. My small port town was far behind me, in spirit and physically. 

I finally convinced myself to get up and get dressed, anxiety and nervousness willing me to get on with the day. The need for new clothes burned deep as the dress was certainly ill-fitted for life upon a ship. But Loki promised we would be arriving at a port soon. I decided to ditch the corset, as it was far too much trouble. The first thing that hit me when I walked out onto the deck was the sea-salt wind that blew across my face, and then the never-ending vastness surrounding us finally set in. 

“Oh my God,” I whispered as I span in circles happily, trying to take it all in. 

“Glad to see you’re finally awake,” Loki called from the helm. He had ditched his waistcoat, and his shirt was once again half-unbuttoned. 

“Do you forget to button your shirt up properly, or is it just your style?” I called back, making my way up the wooden steps to join him. 

“Touche,” he muttered. “Sleep well?” I nodded, smiling up at him. “Good. Right, I’ll introduce you to the crew.” Loki checked the compass before offering his arm, which I gladly took. We went around the ship then, meeting his crew and being told how everything works. I could already tell I would forget most of what he was saying, but with any luck I would be here long enough to learn it all. The men were still singing shanties as we wandered the decks, but they all stopped whenever Loki walked past them to acknowledge him. 

“Your crew seem very respectable,” I commented as we got to the bow. 

“Only because you’re here,” he replied, dropping my arm and putting his hands in his pockets. I nudged him slightly with my elbow, and he tore his eyes away from the ocean to look at me. 

“Why did you let me on here?” I asked quietly, watching him closely. 

“Gut instinct,” he shrugged and turned back to the ocean. “And I could see in your eyes this is where you really belong.” My heart fluttered at this, a swell of emotion hitting the back of my throat. 

“You think so?” I asked timidly, afraid he would change his mind. 

He grinned down at me, before wrapping his arm around my waist and drawing me closer. “I’m going to take you on the adventure of a lifetime.”

“And if I survive this adventure, will I be able to go on more?” His body stiffened, his jaw twitching slightly. 

“I don’t see why not,” he said quietly. “But let’s focus on this one for now.” He turned to look at me, his hand going back into his pocket. “Come, I’ll show you our destination.” We walked back across the deck and into his quarters. Laid out on the table was a map and beside it was another compass. 

“Where are we headed?” I asked, looking at the map but failing to identify any sort of helpful indication of where we actually were. 

“There,” he said pointing to an island. “It’s my crew’s favourite place to stop after a big raid journey.” He perched on the edge of the table and crossed his arms, looking at me expectantly. “But until then we’re going to hit as many ports as possible. And possibly a few ships if we can get away with it.” He took my hand and pulled me gently towards him, our knees touching. Despite sharing a bed last night, the feel of his body against mine still felt wrong, scandalous, as if I were committing the biggest crime, but it was exciting all the same. He took my other hand, rubbing his thumbs in circles on the back of my hand. 

“You weren’t joking when you said that you were a pirate,” I whispered, scared to speak any louder. He chuckled lowly, turning my hands over in his. The feel of his rough hands against my own told their own story of pulling ropes and hauling heavy cargo. "How long have you been a pirate?“ 

"My father was a merchant, so he frequently traveled aboard ships. If I was lucky he would bring me along. I’ve loved the sea ever since I was a child, and I would’ve done anything to be a part of this world for the rest of my life. So I did what was necessary, and here I am.” I felt I had hit a soft spot, as his hands stopped traveling over mine and instead lay still, defeated. 

“I’m sorry,” I said, quietly, taking his hands in my own and kneeling in front of him, a smile spreading across my lips. Loki seemed taken aback by my actions, but still eager to know what came next. “I promise I shan’t press further on your personal matters. I hope you can forgive me,” I gushed in mock sincerity. Loki smiled, freeing one of his hands from my own and tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

“You’re so peculiar, (Y/N),” he said as if to himself, eyes flickering over my face in search of a question unanswered. A knock came at the door, and I immediately stood up, a blush rushing to my cheeks. 

“Captain, there’s something you might be interested in.” A voice called from the other side. Loki sauntered over to the door and opened it. “Are you okay mate?” His first mate, Kidd, looked over his shoulder at me, a cheekiness spreading over his face.

“Quite alright thank you, show me what it is you’re so eager for me to see,” Kidd looked away from me and back to Loki, still grinning. Loki motioned to me to follow. We went up to the bow of the ship, the breeze brushing lightly over our faces. 

“That ship there, captain. We believe it’s a merchant ship, full of goods.”

“What kind of goods?”

“I’m not a witch, how am I supposed to know? But Jim looked for canons and he couldn’t find any. We could take her, easy.” Loki glanced down at Kidd, a fondness rushing through his features. 

“You want to take her don’t you, Kidd?” He asked, his eyes twinkling again. Kidd nodded enthusiastically. “Then we shall. Prepare the men. And then, if the loot is good, we shall have a party.” 

Kidd rushed off to tell the rest of the crew, leaving me alone again with Loki, which seemed to be the default at this current point in time. Not that I minded, of course. 

“This, love, is when it gets exciting,” he said, turning to me. “You’re more than welcome to join in.” 

“I’ll protect the ship,” I said. “Maybe next time though. I feel my swordsmanship isn’t exactly up to scratch.”

“We’ll have to change that then, you shall become the most fearless pirate of them all!” 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I said, giggling at his excitement. The ship started to buzz with energy, and Loki could easily have been the source. His breathing became almost erratic, and his eyes darted about quickly, watching his crew's movement with anticipation. 

The sails were full, and we were speeding towards the ship. I hadn’t known a ship to go quite as fast as this one, and it made me wonder how Loki had acquired it. A story for when he was ready. 

“I must go and prepare. If you are not taking part you should get somewhere safe, my quarters perhaps, and wait there.” Loki held my arm. “Stay safe for me. There shouldn’t be any problems, but if there is you’ll find a cutlass on the bookshelf immediately on your left as you enter my quarters.” 

“I’ll stay safe. I promise.” 

“Raise the flag!” A call was sent out across the ship, and cheers and other such calls were being made. It all became one mass sound, as if the ship itself was humming with excitement.

“Excuse me,” Loki said, before running off. I hadn’t seen him in his element before, but I could certainly understand why he had become a pirate.

I walked briskly back to his quarters, trying to avoid the men dashing about. Time passed slowly, the rush of feet overhead sending adrenaline coursing through my veins, and I became restless sitting alone in the cabin. But then all at once, canons started firing.


	4. - A Silent Stream

The entire structure of the ship seemed to shake, but there was an excitement in my core that I had not felt before. The cries of the men above made my heart lurch into my throat as the danger of the situation sunk in. But it didn’t make me want to leave immediately, it made me want to pick up a sword and be alongside them as they boarded the ship. My eyes darted over to the cutlass on the bookshelf, and my fingers itched to pick it up. I felt compelled as I walked over towards it, and as I picked it up, the cool metal seemed to calm my thumping heart, stirring my sense for adventure.

The canons stopped firing a few moments later, and footsteps pounded overhead as all the men ran to board the merchant ship. My curiosity got the better of me and, gripping the cutlass slightly tighter, I opened the door and peeked out. Our ship had not a soul left on it, but the chorus of shouts coming from the other left nothing to the imagination. I wandered out a little further, looking cautiously over the side. 

The merchant ship was around the same size as ours, but with a much larger crew. Yet somehow Loki’s men had managed to overtake the ship, round up the men in the centre, and had already started to gather all the supplies they wanted. I couldn’t see Loki, but Kidd was circling the captured crew in the middle, intimidating them as best he could. 

Crates started coming up from the bowel of the ship, and there was a range of items being transported, which made me wonder who they were for. Usually, on these sorts of ships, they only carry one or two select items, like the East India Trading Company does. But it seemed that the supplies were more specialized, for a party perhaps? It seemed rather extravagant that such supplies would need to be shipped in from elsewhere. Regardless, the men were taking everything they could and started bringing it back over to our ship. 

My brain told me to go back inside, but my gut told me to stay and help. There were a lot of crates to handle. The men started a chain along the gangway and passed the supplies between them like clockwork. As the first crate got to the ship, I dropped the cutlass, ran forward, and offered to take it.

“You sure you’re strong enough lass?” A man I thought was called Edward asked.

“I would hope so,” I replied, taking it from him and walking it over to the middle of the ship, before going back for more. Eventually, we got to the last few, and it was only Kidd and Loki on the merchant ship, who were addressing the crew. From what I could make out, they were going to let them go, and I let out a sigh of relief. I understood piracy meant killing some… but the idea of murdering an entire crew because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time seemed unfair. They went round cutting the crew loose, before standing in front of them again, bowing theatrically, and heading towards the gangway. 

But as they both turned, one of the crew pulled out a gun, aiming straight for the back of Loki’s head. I went to scream his name in warning, but before I could even collect my breath, Loki had turned and shot the man in the head.

“Anyone else?” He shouted, voice tense, but his manner calm and collected, his hand steady despite just killing a man. “Let’s go, Kidd.” Once they were both on the ship, the gangways were pulled in and the anchor drawn up. It took a few minutes for Loki to acknowledge I was standing by, watching him closely.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly as he looked at me. 

“Quite fine. It certainly isn’t the first time it has happened, nor will it be the last.” His voice still sounded tense, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. Loki looked me over, smirking a little as he crossed his arms almost triumphantly. “Did you help bring the crates on?”

“Was I not supposed to?” He laughed at this and put his arm around my waist as he lead me over to the pile of crates, which all the men were eyeing with eagerness. “What was the shipment for?”

“Army.” He went over to the nearest crate and pried it open, revealing the red uniform of the British Army. 

“I didn’t realize we were at war,” I said quietly, reaching down and picking up the coat on top. It seemed so inappropriate, no matter where they were fighting.

“We are always at war.” He put the lid back on, his body slightly defeated. “But there are enough supplies here to feed the crew for a while, and enough to spare for a celebration,” Loki grinned down at me, “if you are up for it, of course.” 

“Always,” I grinned back up at him. 

“Then I do hereby order a celebration,” he announced to the ship, and then, leaning in, he said quietly to me, “and I do humbly request a dance from the most beautiful woman on this ship.”

“There’s hardly a basis for comparison,” I laughed as I hit his arm lightly. “But yes, I accept your request.” He grinned and took me into a waltzing stance, swaying me from side to side. 

“Oh, there should be some new clothes for you. It will be a stripped down Army uniform though,” he said quietly, still swaying me from side to side. “It will be a shame to get rid of that pretty dress, though.” I smiled, a blush rising to my cheeks.

“Well, I look forward to being able to actually move about properly.” As I said this he swung me out to the side before bringing me back in and holding me closer than before, his chest pressed up against mine, and his hand holding my waist tightly. A few minutes later, he let me go and bowed, kissing my hand.

“I’ll leave the rest for tonight,” he said, the characteristic smirk spreading across his face. “Now, clothes,” he turned back to the crate he had originally opened and sorted through them, taking out some trousers and a shirt. “There’s a sewing kit in my quarters if you need to take the trousers in a bit.” He passed the clothes to me, our fingers brushing slightly and, despite the intimate moments we have shared, it still sent butterflies to my stomach. 

“I shall go and sort these out then, for tonight,” I winked at him before walking into his quarters, putting the clothes on the table as I walked around trying to find the kit. I eventually found it and started to get to work, mending the trousers to fit better. As I was sat down, stitching the waist in, my mind was able to wander around a little. I started to think about my family back home, more specifically my mother, who must be worried sick. My father, I was sure, would be able to get over it within a few days time. I then began to reflect on all that had happened. Not only had I run away from home and joined a pirate ship, but I had also witnessed a man being killed. The severity of what I had seen finally sunk in, and it was only my pricking myself that brought me out of the feeling. I sucked on my finger as I thought about the man’s slumping body against the wood of the ship. The stillness of Loki’s arm. The quiet that surrounded both ships, not a single bird in sight.

But this was what I had signed up for, wasn’t it? If I was going to weasel out at the first sign of death then I would never be able to achieve my dream. Yet, the coldness of Loki’s manner afterward continued to disturb me. I took my new clothes into the bedroom and closed the door behind me, before changing out of my dress and into the uniform.

The trousers were uncomfortable to say the least, however if it meant I had more freedom of movement I would happily wear slightly scratchy clothes. The shirt itself was not too bad and hung loosely around my body.

A knock at the door sounded, and then Loki’s voice. “Are you alright? The party is nearly starting.”

“How long have I been away?” I asked, suddenly aware of the darkening sky. 

“A few hours,” he said, his voice closer than before. “You know if you have any concerns you can talk to me.” The doors creaked as he leaned against them, he then slid down, and the soft thump of his head against the door compelled me to sit in a similar position on my side.

“How many men have you killed?” I asked quietly. A sigh came from the other side, his fingers tapping on the wood of the floor.

“Over a hundred. I lost count. But you can bet I remember every single face.” My breath hitched in my throat.

“Do you regret it?” 

“Some of it,” he paused, and his fingers stopped tapping. “But this is an evening meant for making happy memories,” he stood up and I mirrored him. “May I see you?” I opened the door, turning slowly as if I were wearing the most magnificent ballgown this side of the Atlantic.

“The trousers are a bit uncomfortable, but I like it,” I said, grinning. 

“You look amazing,” he grinned. “My Pirate Queen.” 

“Aren’t you going to escort me to the dance, Your Majesty?” He smiled and offered his arm, our conversation minutes before seemingly forgotten. We walked together onto the deck of the ship, food laid out haphazardly on top of empty crates, and the realization I hadn’t eaten in almost a day finally sunk in. “Ravenous?” He whispered in my ear, chills running down my spine, but whether it was the cold air or his breath I couldn’t tell.

“So very,” I whispered back. He outstretched his hand.

“It’s all yours for the taking.” I had a feeling he wasn’t just talking about the food.


	5. - Different Mind

The night had only just begun, and the men were overexcited after a successful raid. Shanties were being sung loud and clear, and drinks were being downed in quick succession. In the centre of it all was Loki, sitting on a stack of crates fashioned into a chair, a constant smirk across his face as he watched her dance and drink along with the men. He ran the side of his finger over his lips as the feeling in his chest tightened even more. Loki never planned on catching feelings for the strange girl he found sitting alone on the docks, but here he was, not even a week into the next leg of his journey and the knot in his chest was undeniable. Watching her dance with all the other men ignited something along the lines of jealousy, but it was quickly quelled whenever she glanced up at him to make sure he was still there. 

Kidd was stood next to him like a guard dog even though nothing bad was going to happen, at least for now. The two had been thick as thieves ever since the incident with Loki's dad, which somehow made them even closer. They had an unspoken bond with each other, a 'you watch my back and I'll watch yours' deal. They didn't want what happened to their fathers to happen to them as well. 

"You like her, don't you?" Kidd muttered to Loki who bit his lip under his finger. "Knew it."

"I didn't realise it was quite so obvious." Loki shuffled uncomfortably in his seat as he continued to watch the girl. 

"Oh piss off, the whole crew can see it." Kidd nudged Loki's shoulder with his fist, watching his reaction and reveling in it. "She likes you too."

 

"What are we, five?" Loki finally drew his eyes away from her to stare up at Kidd who was grinning mischievously down at him. "I don't want to get attached."

"But you already have, there's no point denying it." Their conversation was interrupted by (Y/N) skipping up to the crate throne and grinning wildly. "Ah, (Y/N), we were just discussing you." Loki gave Kidd a sharp jab to the ribs. 

"All good things I hope," she continued to grin wildly, eyes darting between Kidd and Loki.

"Always," Loki muttered. "I believe I owe you a dance." He stood up and took her hands in his before leading her back into the crowd of men. It was obvious she had perhaps drunk a little too much than she was used to, as she stumbled over Loki's feet and her words were slurred whenever she spoke. Nevertheless, it gave him another excuse to hold her tightly to him. Her breath danced along his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder, and Loki's heart leapt up into his throat as he leaned his head on hers. He made eye contact with Kidd who was still over by the chair, grinning and giving him the thumbs up. Loki chuckled underneath his breath before turning them both round to the beat of the music and singing. 

"What was that for?" She muttered, smiling more to herself than anything else. Her eyes were closed, the alcohol clearly taking her off her high. 

"Nothing," Loki muttered back. "Just glad I met you on that dock." She looked up at him then, hands moving up to hold his shoulders. 

"So am I." Her eyes scanned his face, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Their eyes locked just for a moment. Loki leaned down first, and then she leaned up to meet him, their lips connecting softly but surely. The kiss only lasted a few seconds before Loki pulled away. 

"You're drunk."

"So?" She leaned up again, trying to tempt him in and, whilst it was indeed tempting, Loki did not want to take advantage of this particular situation, an uncharacteristic decision. 

"So you're not making clear decisions," Loki said quietly. "Come on, let's get you into bed. You'll thank me." With much complaining and a bit of stumbling around, Loki eventually managed to get her back into his cabin and into bed. He kissed her head softly as she settled down, tiredness and alcohol washing over her. "Sleep well."

He left the cabin, closing the doors behind him before sitting down at his table, papers spread out in front of him. A pile of letters from his mother that he still needed to reply to. Maps with chartered courses that he may never sail, depending on when he got caught. It seemed impossible that he had come this far and committed so many crimes and his bounty remain the same as when he started. It was almost offensive, in its own small way. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. 

"Come in," Loki muttered, shuffling away his mother's letters for another time. Kidd walked in through the door and sat down next to him. "Who's passed out on deck this time."

"No one. Yet." Kidd put his feet up on the table and leaned back on his chair, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "You nearly died today mate." Loki looked up at him, replaying the raid over and over again in his head. How everything seemed to go in slow motion as soon as he saw the slightest change in Kidd's face. The simple, natural instinct to turn and fire. It could have been anyone; it was anyone. But then again, it could have been him. He could be under a sheet, tucked away in some corner of the ship where no one would ever go. 

"I know." It wasn't shame that washed over him, but it wasn't exactly joy. If he had died today, he would have broken his side of the deal, and then Kidd would have been left alone, just like his father. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You know as well as I do that you can't help that sort of thing. Particularly in our line of work." Kidd sat up again, slamming his feet down on the floor. "But for God's sake, what did I tell you about killing people?" His tone was almost mocking, but there was a trace of seriousness in the background. 

"Alright mother, I won't do it again. Happy?" Kidd rolled his eyes but grinned all the same. There was a certain sadness behind that grin though, a ghost of their past showing itself once again, just briefly. It was all too subtle for anyone else to spot. "Go out and enjoy the festivities, don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Nah, they're all winding down now anyway. The excitement dissipated after (Y/N) left." 

"There is something about her that screams adventure," Loki said, thinking back to their kiss. 

"You're already on one, how much more adventure do you need in your life?" Kidd laughed before playfully kicking Loki. 

"One can never have enough."

"Evidently."

"Shut up."

"Just don't fuck this one up mate, it's a delicate line."

"I know, thank you." Loki stood up, signaling that it was Kidd's time to go. He mirrored his captain, before hugging him closely. "I've got your back."

"And I've got yours." Kidd concluded. A laugh erupted from outside after a massive crash occurred. "That'll be the first unconscious. I'd better go make sure whoever it is is all right." Loki nodded, showing him out. Then he was alone, yet again, with an unconscious girl in the next room and God knows how many unconscious shipmates. He looked once again at the pile of letters from his mother, dating back years. One day he would reply to them. But not tonight. 

Tonight he must sleep, and be thankful that he wasn't shot in the back of the head hours before. And tonight he must plan where they were going to next, which chartered course he may now take because of his extra chance at life.


	6. - The Horizon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: swearing, vomiting

I woke up the next morning ready to hurl my guts over the side of the ship. My head spun rapidly, and I could barely turn from one side to the other without feeling as if I had fallen into the sea and the waves were spinning me ferociously. 

I tried to focus on one point of the cabin, but the bunk swung slightly along with the waves which only worsened the effect. Fuck this pirate life, I'm never drinking that much again, regardless of the occasion. Loki flashed into my mind, and for a few moments I was tempted to call out to him until I remembered what had happened between us last night. Was I ashamed? No, definitely not. I had been wanting to kiss Loki since the first moment I saw him in that dimmed light by the docks. But did I want to kiss him whilst I was completely unaware of what was happening? Absolutely no. Yet if my memory served me correctly he had stopped me before I was able to do anything truly stupid, thank God. 

The ship gave a lurch and so did my stomach, and I knew then I had to get outside. I stumbled my way out of the bunk, head still spinning as I attempted to steady myself before braving having to go out on deck. Pushing open the doors, I saw Loki sat at the table scribbling something on the corner of a map.

"Glad to see you up and about, finally." He looked up then, his face dropping slightly. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." I shook my head at him, motioning to my stomach as I ran past him, still in my underclothes. "Oh, God." He followed me carefully out onto the deck, my vision slowly going more and more blurry the closer I got to the edge. I vaguely heard Loki mumble some words to a few members of the crew, before taking up my hair in his hands as I threw up over the side of the ship. 

"I'm never drinking that much again," I managed to say in between ragged breaths. 

"That's what they all say." I could practically hear Loki's smirk in his voice but he still held my hair back and rubbed my shoulders carefully with his other hand. "Are you done?" I breathed deeply again, just to make sure, before slowly nodding my head and standing up straight again. "Here, have some water." I gratefully took it, swirling it around inside my mouth before spitting over the side of the ship again. 

"Loki..." I began to say before he cut me off. 

"We're docking at a port tonight and planning to stay at one of the hotels where I have connections for a day or so, just to give the ship some rest. Maybe you'll be able to get back your sea legs then." His normal cheeky demeanor was gone, and he began to turn away but I held his arm before he could walk any further. 

"Please can we talk about what happened last night." He looked carefully at me, his jaw hard-set and eyes seemed darker than they were a few moments ago. 

"There's nothing to talk about," he muttered before stalking up to the helm to talk with Kidd who was eyeing me every so often. What on Earth did he mean by that? I couldn't help but feel a little offended as I made my way to the bow, sitting down at the front and focusing on the horizon as the crew bustled about with various tasks. If only my mother could be with me now. I hadn't quite realised how much I had missed her prescence until that moment, looking out at the endless world that was mine for the taking. Despite this, there was still that heavy feeling in my chest tying me to home. How did Loki, or anyone else for that matter, cope with this lifestyle? It seemed so... unreal. It certainly attracted a definitive personality type, and I was starting to doubt whether or not I was cut out for this. And Loki... why did he not want to talk about what had happened? It certainly was the least of my problems, worrying what a boy thought about me, yet it bothered me more than it should.

"Mind if I join you?" It was Kidd, a bandana wrapped around his head loosely, pushing his brown curls backward and away from his eyes, shirtless, with loose shorts on.

"Be my guest." I shuffled up a little, conscious that I was still in my underclothes. We sat in silence together for a little while, appreciating each other's company, before the burning question clawed its way up into my mouth. "What's up with Loki?"

"I think a better question is what isn't up with him," Kidd glanced my way briefly before continuing. "You mean about last night?"

"You saw that?" Dread started to creep in. 

"A lot of people did. But don't worry - no one gives a shit out here." Again, silence enfolded the two of us and I was too scared to press him further about my original question, my head still swimming from the after-effects of the alcohol. I tried to get closer glimpses of Kidd every so often, noticing scars running along his shoulders, one just above his heart. "He means well."

"I know. He offered me all this, didn't he?" Kidd seemed to stiffen slightly, a distant memory coming to mind. 

"Of course. But what I mean is, sometimes he doesn't fully understand what anyone else is truly thinking if they don't say it outright. I suppose that's just him, whether or not it is because of any other reason I don't know."

"How long have you known him?" I shifted so my back was against the railing, Kidd smiled a little before moving to a similar position on the opposite side of the ship. 

"Since we were boys, maybe seven or eight? Our fathers knew each other through the trade, and the port we were in meant that there were very few other boys my age were around, so we natrually gravitated towards each other." He smiled again - that same nostalgic smile that he always seemed to wear near Loki or when he talked about him. "Then tragedy struck his family, and mine as a result."

"What happened?" I asked, curiosity burning inside of me as I glanced from Kidd to Loki, who was stood at the helm and watching the skyline. 

"I think he ought to tell you that." Loki became more and more of a mystery the closer I came to figuring out exactly who he is. 

"But the kiss... I tried to talk to him about it but he said there was nothing to talk about." I couldn't help the sadness that crept into my voice, regardless of how much I tried to cover it. 

"He'll come round eventually," he said as he stood up, holding my shoulder. "Just let him be, he needs to figure out his thoughts before diving back in." I nodded, trying to build a wall in my mind against Loki to stop myself from falling any further. I had only known him for, what, a few days? It's far too soon to be falling in love with a complete stranger. Kidd walked away, leaving me alone again with my thoughts. Sighing a little, I turned back to the outstretched sea, a land mass appearing over the horizon - I had no idea where we were, or how far we had traveled, but seeing land again gave me a new burst of determination and within me that this was the life that I desired. I would not want to go back to my so-called fiancee after experiencing the open waters and only the beginning of all the toils it brings with it.


	7. New Land, New Emotions

It took nearly another half day of rocky ocean and queasy feelings before I was able to see the island clearly. The majority of the stolen cargo was stored beneath decks, hidden away between our own cargo, should an inspection occur. The crew had sorted through the boxes and taken out the items we could sell to bring in a little more cash for repairs and to free up space. Loki had not said anything to me since that morning, despite us working together to get all the crates in their rightful positions and making preparations to dock. Kidd had shown me the ropes - quite literally in fact - in order to try and get me more involved in ship life. There were plenty of other skills to be learned - swordsmanship, marksmanship... Perhaps it was something to bring up at the hotel tonight if I were to share a room with Loki.

My muscles gave out a dull ache as I found myself, once again, staring out to sea and watching the land mass come ever closer. It seemed that ship life consisted of the same routine, repeated every few hours, with the odd bit of excitement; docking at a new port being one of them. From what I could see it was a small port town, with the buildings slowly dying off the higher up the hill they went. The entire island only seemed a few kilometers long, and tourism seemed to be their main business, along with perhaps farming. Boats were scattered across the port, some larger than others but none bearing a national flag - a safe haven for those with more dangerous purposes. 

"What do you think of it?" Loki's voice whispered behind me. I had been so encapsulated in sizing up the town that I hadn't noticed his footsteps. 

"It looks quaint. Much nicer than my town at least." I muttered back, not bothering to turn around. 

"Your town was nice - just in a different sense of the word." He came to my side and adopted the same position, staring straight ahead at our destination. "I can't help the feeling that you're angry at me," he said after an awkward silence.

"I could say the same thing to you." At this I turned to look at him, crossing my arms and leaning against the railing with my hip. "You haven't said a word to me since our exchange this morning." He cast me a sideways glance before returning his gaze to the island and sighing a deep breath. The crew were calling out to one another, preparing for docking, and the energy on board began to grow. 

"We'll be sharing a room together tonight. I do hope that's alright. When I wrote to reserve you weren't on board."

"I'll only share a room with you on shore if you tell me what is going on inside that head of yours," I said as I watched him closely to see if I could catch some sort of reaction. The wind was picking up, and I started to grow goosebumps along my arms and shiver slightly. 

"Let's go into my cabin." He reached an arm around my shoulders as he lead me into his cabin, pulling out a chair for me to sit in as he sat across from me, putting his feet up on the table. "I can't tell you everything about me, (Y/N), mainly because it would take too long. The reason I was awkward this morning was because of the events of last night. I didn't exactly know how to process it all..." He wouldn't meet my eye, and everything he said was with a stiffer tone compared to what I was used to. I get up from my seat and walk over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and trying to contain my annoyance.

"Loki - I don't need your entire back story. Whatever happened last night... whatever your feelings towards me may be... we can put it behind us." I didn't want to put it behind us, I wanted to explore it as much as I wanted to explore the ocean. But if this relationship wasn't sorted out, Loki could easily leave me at a port in the middle of nowhere and I would have to fend for myself in an entirely new world. A part of myself was annoyed by my dependency on him, but a larger part of me knew that he was essential in me reaching my dreams. 

He didn't say anything for a few moments but then stood up suddenly, weaving his hand around me and holding me to him as his other hand tilted my face up to meet his. My lips parted as I gasped from the sudden contact, allowing for his tongue to slide gracefully across them. I allowed my own tongue to reach up and meet his as his hand traced my jaw, following the lines down to my neck to my shoulder, holding me ever closer. Our breathing became heavier as the air around us became thicker with lust and need. My mind was only focused on his touch as his hands traced my bare arms whilst mine held onto his shoulders in an attempt to ground myself. I broke away first, out of breath. Loki's forehead came to rest on mine as his breathing slowed to a more normal pace and his hands came to rest on my hips. 

"I don't want to put it behind us," he muttered, his eyes closing slowly. "I want you."

"Why didn't you just say that?" I laughed under my breath as the impossibility of the situation struck me square in the chest. 

"I didn't know that's what I wanted until now." His eyes opened to meet mine, the same twinkle had resparked inside of him, and I began to realise how delicate he was inside, even if the rest of his body didn't give away his inner turmoil. 

"This will definitely make tonight a lot more interesting." He chuckled at this before kissing me again, this time slower and more controlled, but the lust was still there, just barely being reined in. 

"And I hope this forgives my behaviour earlier." He held me at arms lengths, taking in my flustered appearance. 

"I'm sure I'll be able to get over it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol i finally updated soz it's shorter than usual


	8. Docked

The sun was just setting over the horizon, painting the buildings shades of orange and pink, and dousing the crew in a soft warm glow as they hauled the loaded boxes off the ship and onto the dock. I watched from the side of the ship, my arms folded on the barrier as the wind softly blew my hair away from my face. Loki took command, walking briskly between boxes and talking to various people, shaking hands with them before calling over a crew member to bring a box to 'this kind gentlemen here'. The military supplies, in particular, would be worth a pretty penny, particularly to those working against the British government, and I wouldn't exactly put it past Loki to do something like that. 

Below me, someone started to raise their voice, drawing the attention of the pirate captain who, very calmly, walked over to the man in question, took him up by his shirt collar, and muttered harsh words which I couldn't quite make out from my vantage point. Once he was finished, he dropped the man and walked away. Once Loki's back had turned, the man sprinted off in the other direction, fear very much apparent on his features. Loki busied himself with another transaction, not at all fazed by the encounter. It occurred to me then, just as the first bit of twilight had started to creep onto the buildings' exterior, that I had barely even scratched the surface on piracy. Barely scratched the surface on Loki. Who knew what he had stored away in that brain of his.

"You okay?" Kidd asked as he lent upon the barrier next to me, his dark skin slightly damp from sweat. 

"Just thinking about stuff," I replied, smiling as I turned to look at him. He returned the smile before looking back out to the open ocean. "How long are we staying here for?" 

"One or two nights, possibly more. Depends on what Loki has planned."

"I thought he would tell you all his plans?" Kidd glanced at me briefly, his body tense for a split second before relaxing again. 

"There are some things that even Loki doesn't know he's got planned. You have to be incredibly flexible with this lifestyle if you hadn't guessed already." He chuckled at his own comment before shaking his head and walking off the ship again, in answer to someone calling his name. I rolled my eyes before going inside Loki's quarters, the cooling night air sending a chill down my spine a few too many times for comfort. I fiddled around with papers, trying to organize them into slightly neater piles compared to the ones Loki originally created. 

"Don't touch that." I turned to see Loki stood in the doorway, his shoulders hunched. 

"Sorry, I was just trying to clean up-"

"I don't care, you shouldn't be touching my shit." I took a step away from the table and put my hands up. 

"Jesus, Loki, are you okay?" He ignored me and went straight over to the table, checking over the papers and mentally making sure I hadn't sneaked anything. I watched him closely, his back tense as his hands gripped the sides of the table. After a few minutes of laboured breathing, it finally slowed down. I walked over, reaching a hand out tentatively to touch his back. "I didn't take anything."

"I know."

"Then what were you worried about?" A sigh. His back relaxed under my hand.

"Doesn't matter." He turned around and brought me into his arms. I didn't hug him back, my heart still racing from the look in his eyes - I could see how quickly that part in him can be turned on, and I never wanted to be in the path of that. It made his quick reaction to shooting that crew member more understandable. "Are you still comfortable with sharing a room tonight?" He asked, placing his head on top of mine. I nodded without saying anything, focusing on steadying myself. 

"Just, be calm. I don't want to fear for my life tonight. Preferably at least." He grinned at that, though I could sense he knew it was only partly a joke. 

"I promise I shan't kill you tonight. I've got it in my calendar for a fortnight tomorrow." 

"Much appreciated, it gives me some time to prepare," I replied. His deep chuckle rumbled through his chest and I could feel it against mine. Still, even the thought wasn't exactly reassuring.

"Let's get settled at the lodging shall we?" I asked, partly anxious to get settled and partly because I wanted to be one step closer to understanding Loki's background. He smiled down at me before taking my hand and guiding me out of the ship and onto the dock, where the atmosphere was still buzzing from the sudden flurry of activity. By then the sun had almost completely set, a slight chill settling down on the thick air surrounding us as Loki and I weaved through the thinning dock workers on our way to the hotel. I could see it in front of me, the sea-salt air having faded a majority of the colour, the wood already starting to break apart. 

"Do you know the guy running it?" I wondered aloud, still slowly taking in my surroundings. 

"Used to be in the same port as me when I was a child. He was a bit older than me though so I was never really close to him. He took over the running of the hotel after the previous owner died... got bored of being a pirate apparently." By the time Loki had finished speaking, we were entering the hotel in question, the warmth of which welcomed me in considerably and the thought of having an actual bed made my body ache considerably with tiredness. 

"Loki! Long time no see, eh?" Called the desk manager. The man in question was formally dressed, a simple shirt (actually buttoned up) tucked into some trousers, his hair swept back from his tanned forehead. "And who's this?"

Loki's hand found the small of my back. "This is (Y/N), one of my newest crew members. She'll be sharing the room with me tonight." The guy behind the counter gave a knowing look and Loki rolled his eyes, the hand on my back reaching out to grab the room keys being handed to them. 

"Your usual room, captain."

"Thank you." Loki nodded towards the stairs that were tucked away just around the corner from the desk, the guy giving me a wink before being consumed in the hotel's books. 

The room itself was nice enough, a simple double bed, a chest of drawers, and a couple of lanterns dotted about the room, already lit. I took a seat on the edge of the bed, taking in the room like I had taken the dock in earlier. 

"It's nice," I declared after a few minutes. Loki had busied himself with undressing and turned round to look at me, his shirt folded between his hands. "How long are we staying here for again?" Teasing out some sort of conversation between the two of us.

"Couple nights probably. There are a lot more trading possibilities than last time I was here so I think we might stay for a little longer than planned."

"More time to get to know each other, then." Loki laughed a little, before tucking his shirt away in the drawer and coming to sit next to me, hand coming to rest on the inside of my thigh, his thumb rubbing small circles on the rough material. 

"I promise I'm not purposefully avoiding the topic of my history. It's just a lot."

"Well, we have time." His thumb stops moving, apparently contemplating its next move. 

"I suppose we do." That mask was on again, the walls had been put back up in his mind, blocking me out from it. It was always painful, and I wondered what I would have to do to break through it. "I'm going to go back to the ship and grab some things. You'll be okay here, won't you?"

"Of course." And with that, he left. My thigh feeling a little colder compared to when his hand was resting reassuringly on it. The stillness of the room was disquieting, the lamps flickering against the growing darkness. But my fatigue was stronger than the subtle anxiety that was flickering like the flames inside my stomach, and so I resolved that sleep was the best option. I stripped down, leaving just my bare underclothes exposed to the thin sheets of the bed. I soon enough drifted into sleep.

Which was peaceful until I got woken up by hands holding me down and a rag was placed over my mouth and nose. I could just about see the attackers, one of whom I identified as the man who Loki talked to at the dock. My heart raced up into my throat, and the once faint flicker of anxiety had burst into full-fledged fear. I tried to scream for help, but the chemical in the rag choked me. My head was starting to swim, and slowly, painfully slowly, I began to lose consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did a whole ten minutes research into the uses and effects of chloroform so now my internet provider is going to be thoroughly concerned


End file.
